Russia joins Pakistan in ‘anti-terror drill’

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: Russia and Pakistan, two Cold War enemies when the former existed as the USSR, came together on Friday for their first-ever joint military exercise+ called ‘Friendship 2016’ in a development that will be watched keenly in both Delhi and Washington DC.

“A contingent of Russian ground forces arrived in Pakistan for the first Pak-Russian joint exercise scheduled from September 24 to October 10,” said Lt General Asim Saleem Bajwa of the Pakistani army media wing.
While India said it would observe the developments closely, a late night release from the Russian embassy in Delhi stated: ” Russia-Pak anti-terror exercise is not being held in so-called Azad Kashmir or in any other sensitive or problematic areas like Gilgit-Baltistan. The only venue is Cherat. Reports alleging drills taking place at military school in Rattu are mischievous.”